Miller’s classic tragedy returns to Toledo Rep

Arthur Miller’s classic American tragedy “Death of a Salesman” was first performed in 1949, but it has remained astoundingly relevant to audiences all the way to the present day. The story of a man in the waning days of his career — and ultimately his life — the show deals with issues that theatergoers can still identify with.

“The key crisis in the play deals with the loyal worker who finds himself redundant in a changing economic world. No one needs a salesman anymore,” director F. Scott Regan said in an interview with Toledo Free Press Star. “And he’s hung so much of his ego onto his job that he questions his values as a human being. And I think in an area like Toledo, there’s certainly a lot of that going around, in terms of the job world changing.”

Now, as part of the Toledo Repertoire Theatre’s 80th anniversary year, Regan will be directing a production of “Salesman” running from April 19 through 28, with prominent local actor Michael Searle in the role of Willy Loman.

“It’s a play that actors love to do. There’s so many meaty parts,” Regan said. “Certainly there was an indication with the auditions. We had such a tremendous turnout — much more than they normally have for a non-musical. People who just know the play and have always wanted to participate in it.”

"Death of a Salesman"

Despite decades of experience directing plays at all levels of theater, Regan had never actually tackled Miller’s masterpiece before this production. “I had requested a directing slot and was interviewed by the artistic director, Steve Burnette,” he said.

“I had put ['Death of a Salesman'] down as my number one choice. And apparently none of the other potential directors had wanted this as their first choice.”

Small wonder, as putting up a show as beloved and well-known as “Salesman” can seem daunting to even the most seasoned director. But Regan is not one to back down from such challenges, and has worked to put his own spin on Miller’s masterpiece.

“I’ve sort of tried to be faithful to the script and the story. There’s two adjustments that I’ve made — one is the musical score that accompanies it is going to be a little more modern, and we’re using a lot of what might be called ‘new age’ music as opposed to what might be the traditional music.”

The other major adjustment is a matter of casting. “In the play, because of flashbacks, we see Biff and Happy as middle-aged men, and then they come running out with a football and pretend that they’re Biff and Happy when they’re teenagers. And I have double-cast those roles,” Regan added. “So we have young people who are basically high-school age who are playing Biff and Happy when they’re young.”

The rehearsal process has been ongoing for the past few months, with auditions occurring before Christmas. Regan noted that coordinating the schedules of a large group of community theater performers — who, after all, have real jobs and lives to balance — is one of the major challenges of putting on such a production.

“One of the characters came in just the other night and said, ‘My boss has changed my job schedule.’ And the actors aren’t paid, so you can’t say, ‘Sorry, you signed up for this first.’ And those kinda things — it’s not that they’re not dedicated, but they have other life requirements that sometimes are challenging to find a schedule to work out. We’ve got everything from secretaries to students to salesmen and retired people in the cast.”

But Regan, who has years of work in educational theater under his belt as well, notes that there are certain advantages to using community actors, as well.

“Unlike a college theater, you have the opportunity to use people who are the correct age, you know. Unless you bring in a guest actor … it’s easier to find actors who are the right age when you’re doing community theater. And you have more diverse, in terms of experience. You have people who are fully trained in terms of acting techniques, and others who are, perhaps, in their first or second play,” he stated. “It’s trying to find what works best for each actor, which I guess is true for many plays.”

And after a lifetime of experience in the theater, Regan noted it’s nice to work with an organization like the Rep — especially when you’re used to doing many aspects of a production yourself.

“I just like the variety and professionalism that they offer there. It’s nice that someone else is writing the program and making the posters, and you really can just concentrate on your job. And in other situations you really don’t have the luxury of collaborating with other artists to get their ideas.”

The Toledo Repertoire Theatre’s production of “Death of a Salesman” opens Friday, April 19 at 8 pm and runs for the next two weekends. For more information, contact the Rep at (419) 243-9277.

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Second chance for Rep’s ‘Three Viewings’

Kate Abu-Absi loves to act, but on May 21 she hopes to stay firmly planted in her director’s chair during the Toledo Repertoire Theatre’s reading of “Three Viewings” by Jeffrey Hatcher.

“Three Viewings” features three half-hour long monologues performed by F. Scott Regan, Jennifer Lake and Patricia Rudes. Due to heavy snowfall, a previous performance on Feb. 5 at the Valentine Theatre was nearly canceled because the weather prevented Lake and Rudes from making the show.

“I was at a family birthday party and my husband called with the message that the actresses were flipping out and couldn’t make it,” Abu-Absi said. “The Valentine general manager said they were going to pull the plug. A half an hour before curtain, I got a call saying there were about 30 people there.”

“We were all kind of shocked,” said Brad Smith, president of the board and interim artistic director for the Rep. “The readings don’t draw big audiences anyway. They are material people haven’t heard of, sometimes there’s adult language, and it’s not for everybody. To have so many people show up for an unknown show in the blizzard was quite surprising.”

Brad Smith

With enough of a crowd in attendance, the show had to go on. Abu-Absi is an experienced actress, recently playing the female lead in the Rep’s “Chapter Two.” She filled in for both actresses despite never rehearsing the parts.

“I was totally freaked out about having to go up there and do it,” Abu-Absi said. “I just kept thinking ‘Pat needs to be here.’ She is totally the glue in this piece. She is a very strong woman and worked very hard. She is a widow, just like the character. Sometimes during rehearsals she had to stop. I thought ‘I can’t take away the opportunity for her to play this part.’ She’s very distinct.”

“It put Kate in a terrible position, and it was a real shame for the actors who put all the time into rehearsing and didn’t get the payoff of showing it to the audience,” Smith said. “It was unfortunate on a number of levels, but the show went off and people seemed to enjoy it.”

Smith wanted to provide the actresses with an opportunity to finally perform the monologues.

“As an actor myself, I know how frustrated I would be if I didn’t get to perform,” he said. “I sympathized with the fact they put in this time and didn’t get the benefit of it.”

The Rep’s staged readings are just one-night shows, but Smith was willing to foot the bill for another performance of “Three Viewings.”

“I have to look out for the Rep’s financial interests,” he said. “Even though we’re not going to gain or lose a lot no matter how well the show does, I couldn’t justify the risk. Since the expenses are relatively low upfront, I figured I could make it one of my donations to the Rep and a goodwill gesture to the actors as a thank you. I’m looking forward to seeing them perform the roles. Now I can try and dull the memory of the horror of Kate and see how it’s properly done.”

All kidding aside, Smith enjoyed Abu-Absi’s performance of both monologues.

“The February audience was not cheated in the least,” he said. “They saw a great performance. When Pat and Jennifer get to do it, they’ll see a great performance then, too. We didn’t miss a beat. Kate’s that good.”

“Three Viewings” contains three monologues set in the same funeral parlor within a week of one another in a small town.

“The subject matter deals with death, but it’s not morose,” Abu-Absi said. “Some moments are sad, but it’s not dwelling in that. It’s full of life and it is funny. It catches you off-guard. The monologues are really well-written. It’s not predictable, but it’s not out there in a way you can’t relate to.”

Regan opens the show with “Tell-Tale” as a mortician named Emil who is in love with a woman attending funerals for business purposes.

“During auditions, I realized right away he was perfect for this part both physically and in his energy and everything,” Abu-Absi said. “He’s been delightful to work with.”

Lake is up next with “Thief of Tears” as a grave robber named Mac.

“I consider it to be an incredibly challenging part,” Abu-Absi said. “In the very first paragraph, she says she robs corpses and describes how she does it. You want to think of her as a bad person, but throughout the course of it you realize what has happened in her life and understand. Jennifer really is the thief of tears. It makes you wonder who you would be if you had lived the character’s life.”

“It’s such a daring thing for the writer,” Smith said. “He’s purposely setting her up to be so unlikeable to see if by the end of it you can sympathize with her.”

Rudes plays a widow named Virginia in the final monologue titled “Thirteen Things about Ed Carpolotti.”

“When she auditioned for that part, I cried, and I’m not even a crier,” Abu-Absi said. “She is so perfect. It deals with losing someone you love but finding all these disappointments. It’s the best monologue in the show and one of the best I’ve ever heard.”

Smith said he sees the staged readings as opportunities to take risks with pieces like “Three Viewings.”

“The Edgy Rep readings are a way to push the envelope even more with material people haven’t heard of,” Smith said. “We couldn’t fill three weekends with some of these pieces, but we can get one good audience that will appreciate this challenging, unusual piece.”

Despite the near impossibility of snow on May 21, Abu-Absi is not getting her hopes up for a large turnout.

“It will probably be the most beautiful day of the year, and we’ll have no audience,” she said. “Everyone might want to be outdoors. It would be amazing irony.”

Tickets are available for $10. The reading begins at 8 p.m. in Studio A of the Valentine Theatre at 410 Adams St. Visit ToledoRep.org for more information.

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Theater

McGinnis: ‘Foreigner’ takes the stage at the Toledo Rep

Three years ago, F. Scott Regan retired as professor emeritus from Bowling Green State University. During the course of his 25-year career, he directed numerous productions (several penned by Regan himself), supervised the formation of the Horizon Youth Theatre project and worked tirelessly on Treehouse Troupe, BGSU’s traveling children’s theater production.

But Regan has certainly not been taking it easy, now that his BGSU career has ended. Since 2008, he has continued to regularly work with the Toledo Repertoire Theatre.

“For the past two years, I have directed readings for the Edgy Rep Series and enjoyed the opportunity to work with the Toledo Rep,” Regan said in an e-mail interview.

He returns to directing on Sept. 18 with a Rep production of Larry Shue’s classic farce “The Foreigner.” The play will run through Oct. 3.

“After the Toledo Rep selected their season, I (and other potential directors) was asked to rank order their preferences. I read the plays I was not familiar with and put this play as my first choice,” Regan said.

“The Foreigner,” first performed in 1984, revolves around the story of a young Englishman who is so pathologically shy, he can’t even speak to people. His friend covers for him by telling guests at a fishing lodge he is from another country and can’t speak English. As a result, those near the supposed foreigner have no problem saying the most outrageous and scandalous things in his presence, because they think he can’t understand them, anyway.

The show played off Broadway for nearly 700 performances and has been regularly performed for more than a quarter of a century. Regan said that he believes the sympathetic people depicted in the story are key to the play’s continuing success.

“‘The Foreigner’ is a very funny play, of course, but I think the enduring popularity lies not in the clever premise and jokes but in the characters,” Regan said. “Unlike most farces, which are driven by slapstick and abnormal behavior, the author has created more complex and real people, quirky but totally believable and (with one exception) totally lovable.

“When we go to the theater and recognize part of ourselves on stage we can be moved to laughter and tears.”

Auditions for this new production took place during the summer. Regan said many of the people trying out for the show were familiar with the Rep and what was expected of auditioners, so the process went smoothly. “In this case, a relatively small number of people came so everyone had multiple opportunities to read for several parts,” he said.

Rehearsals for the show began in late July. Throughout the process, Regan said he introduced activities and discussions to help the cast get to know one another — and their characters — better.

“As with most comedies, a bit of fooling around help them explore their parts and see the possible humor. The director serves as guide as they explore movement and gesture to enhance the tensions between characters and helps be the ‘audience eye’ — helping the cast clarify for the audience what is going on,” he said.

Regan had nothing but the highest compliments for his actors. “This has perhaps been the most experienced cast that I have worked with so it has made my job easier — more of a guide than a director. They brought this experience to the production, providing their own creative solutions to the inevitable challenges that the script has presented.”

Working as a director — or a guide — benefits from Regan’s own experiences, as well, including the quarter century of work he put into BGSU Theater. Regan said both assignments were fun and challenging, in their own ways.

“As I said, the adult community theater features actors who can bring more life experience to the project. They often have more stage experience, as well, which can be an advantage or a disadvantage to a guest director. Of course, there are no artificial grades to motivate effort. Community actors are there for the love of the experience and have to balance many responsibilities in order to participate.”

Regan shows no sign of slowing down in the months to come. He will soon be departing on a trip to Peru and Ecuador, and is scheduled to direct a show for the Horizon Youth Theatre in the spring. He said he hopes audiences for “The Foreigner” come away from the show having had “a hearty laugh and a warm feeling. The play shows us flawed people who can help each other grow and change — while defeating evil.”

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Theater

Toledo Rep brings ‘Victor/Victoria’ to Owens

The Toledo Rep’s latest production proves love knows no bounds. The regional premiere of Blake Edwards’ classic musical comedy “Victor/Victoria” will take center stage at the Owens Community Center for Fine and Performing Arts beginning at 8 p.m. June 4.

The production features a large cast, including Ann M. Steck in the roles of Victor/Victoria. Rep veteran James M. Norman is directing. There will be a 14-piece orchestra under the musical direction of Josh Glover with choreography by Brian Rodabaugh. The show includes music by Henry Mancini and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse with additional music by Frank Wildhorn.

David James as Carroll Todd and Ann M. Steck as Victoria Grant.

“I headed up the selection committee when we chose this piece. I had seen it performed in the past, and have always found it to be hilarious; the music is very entertaining, very cinematic,” Norman said. “The hardest thing about directing this show was that the cast was huge — we had 29 cast members, and even then we could have used 35 to 40. One of the reasons we chose to put the show on at Owens is because our stage just wasn’t large enough.

“I prefer working on musical comedies like this, though I find them harder than traditional dramas. As a performer myself, I think they’re more difficult. The level of talent we had working on this production is fantastic.”

Norman has also directed the Rep’s productions of “The Full Monty,” “All Shook Up” and “Rebecca,” as well as a number of local high school shows. He is a graduate of UT.

“Victor/Victoria” first appeared as a book and was produced as a feature film starring Julie Andrews in 1982. Andrews later reprised her role during the show’s Broadway run beginning in 1995 and was nominated for a Tony Award.

Show dates for “Victor/Victoria” are June 4-5 and 11-13. The Sunday matinee begins at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $22 for adults, $20 for seniors and $10 for students older than age 12. Group rates of $19 are available for parties of 10 or more. Owens Community College is located in Perrysburg at 30335 Oregon Road.

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Toledo Rep to present ‘Auntie Mame’

The Toledo Rep’s latest production is a stage adaptation of Patrick Dennis’ novel “Auntie Mame.” The play, which was written by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, will open on April 16.

The production is directed by Rep Artistic Director Lee Krahenbuhl. While the production marks Krahenbuhl’s directorial debut with the Rep, he is no stranger to the stage.

“I am very familiar with this piece; in fact it was the first play I ever appeared in as an actor in college. When I decided to take on this material, I knew that I wanted the play to be separate from other adaptations, to stand on its own, which I think is a real accomplishment when you consider how popular the material is,” Krahenbuhl said. “There have been a number of previous adaptations, including the film. One of the other difficult aspects of this production was being as close to flawless with our transitions as possible, which was a lot of work given a cast of this size.”

Krahenbuhl received his doctorate from the University of Oregon. He first came to our area as a visiting professor of communications at UT. He has since taught at Mercy College of Northwest Ohio. His previous directing credits include such classics as “Godspell” and “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”

The production runs through May 2. Showtime is 8 p.m. for Thursday-Saturday performances. Sunday matinees begin at 2:30 pm. For a more complete list of show dates visit the Web site www.toledorep.org.

Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 for seniors and $10 for students over 13 and $5 for children. Group rates are also available for parties of 10 or more. The Toledo Rep is located Downtown at 16 10th Street.

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Theater Review

Theater review: “Leading Ladies”

The Toledo Repertoire Theatre’s production of Ken Ludwig’s “Leading Ladies” makes its audience cackle uncontrollably. In this tale of cross-dressing and star-crossed lovers, two Shakespearean actors discover that an Aunt Florence (Madge Levinson) left a large sum of money to two distant relatives in her will. They then discover that these relatives are actually nieces. In a desperate attempt to acquire Aunt Florence’s money, the two disguise themselves as her nieces. The cast ‘s performances were a tour-de-force.

Leo (Brad Smith) and Jack (Lane Hackel) were the most hilarious when they impersonated Aunt Florence’s nieces. As the two first entered, wearing dresses (one of which had wings), the audience’s laughter could not have been louder. Hackel stole the audience with his portrayal of the “deaf and dumb” sister, Stephanie. Whenever Jack smiled, minced or did anything else as Stephanie, Hackel’s eccentric mannerisms made the audience burst out laughing.

Bill Delaney (Doc) and Madge Levinson were hysterical. Delaney’s sarcastic tone and finishing “hachaa!” made Doc’s remarks the most amusing lines of the play. Levinson’s high volume and stubborn demeanor made the audience giggle. Delaney and Levinson created classic verisimilitude in an argument about why Don had concluded Florence to be dead.

Anyone who has seen Ludwig’s previous works, such as “Moon Over Buffalo,” will recognize the plot structure of “Leading Ladies.” Disguised identities and frantic chase scenes have been staples of comedy since the earliest days of theatre. The cast put their own spin on these traditions. They also gave their audience a night they will never forget.

The Toledo Repertoire Theatre’s next production will be an Edgy Rep Reading of “Blackbird B,” by David Harrower, on Feb. 20.

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